In This Solemn Hour
by Dark Wings Descending
Summary: Not long before Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi learned that love, politics and spiritual beliefs are three impossible vertexes of a dangerous triangle... On Hiatus
1. At Sunset

**A/N:** _For explanation on the dashes, please visit my profile._

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**In This Solemn Hour.**

Chapter I: At Sunset.

The sun was setting in the always frantic Coruscant City, ending another day, and one could feel the boiling life in every street, in every house, in every person. There was never a pause from the agitation in the most important planet in the galaxy. But, in the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan Kenobi was sitting on the grass in the middle of the garden and he was meditating. He cleared his mind of all thoughts as every fiber of his being connected him to the Force and nothing could disturb that moment of peace. Through meditation he tried to achieve wisdom and eliminate his flaws. But, sometimes, the Force would not give him answers to his questions, for it was not its way to teach the meaning of the existence of things.

He opened his eyes to see the remains of sunlight and sighed: it was the kind of moment Obi-Wan felt some questions would always be left unanswered, which did not stop those searching for wisdom from asking them. Standing up, he returned to the temple and headed to the dormitory floor. Once he arrived in the chambers he shared with Anakin Skywalker, his apprentice, he saw the small living area was empty and so was Anakin's bedroom, as he could see through the open door. Taking off his robe and throwing it on a chair, Obi-Wan entered the bathroom and washed his face with cold water. He then dried it with a towel and looked at the image of the Jedi Master in the mirror: long, light brown hair at the level of his chin framed a face which contained a pair of wise blue eyes and a beard. He had grown older.

In that moment, Obi-Wan started feeling nostalgic as he thought about Qui-Gon Jinn. He often missed his Master, his guidance and his friendship and he was not sure he would ever be a good teacher like Qui-Gon had been. Even though he knew the Force had a mysterious reason for everything, Obi-Wan still felt guilty for not saving Qui-Gon from the deadly hand of Darth Maul. After seven years, the shadow of grief still haunted him and he was sure it would never leave him, not completely.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Obi-Wan reminded himself he had to walk alone now: he had to be the guide. He then heard someone enter the living room and opened his eyes. Leaving the bathroom, he found a rather upset Anakin waiting for him with his arms crossed.

-You forgot, didn't you? –the young padawan asked.

-Forgot what? –Obi-Wan asked back, raising an eyebrow.

-The light saber practice _you_ demanded for this afternoon! –Anakin answered furiously. – I had to "fight" a thirteen year-old in a duel. I'm good enough to be his Master already!

-Don't be so arrogant, Anakin. –Obi-Wan warned. –I'm sorry I forgot. I'll make it up to you tomorrow.

She sat down at her desk to resume her studies on some documents concerning the All Planet's Relief Fund after a long day spent in the middle of the falsity and corruption of the Galactic Senate. But, even though she tried her best to comprehend the words, her mind couldn't focus on what she was reading. So, she stood up from the chair and went to the kitchenette to make herself some tea. After boiling the water and choosing some herbs, she mixed them in a mug and walked to the large window of the living room of her small apartment and saw the sun setting behind dozens of buildings.

Anixia Nayade was twenty four years-old and she had graduated from the University of Coruscant two years before that day; she was currently the assistant of Senator Uta S'orn. Having studied Political Science, she hoped her hard work and dedication would some day grant her a place in the Senate so she could make a difference in the galaxy. She longed for a moment of peace among the tumultuous political problems, but she knew she was far from it. Senator Uta often had once told her she would have to learn to put other people's needs above her own so she could be a respectable representative of her planet, even if it meant personal sacrifices from her.

Finishing her tea, Anixia went back to work on the documents. Being a wealthy planet, Belasco had a very important position in the All Planet's Relief Fund and its senator held one of the most important votes in every decision. But Uta S'orn couldn't limit her attention to only one topic, so she already entrusted Anixia with the important matters she knew she could handle. And there was young Anixia, giving up her rest as she dedicated her time to what she believed to be the greater good.

She always wondered what the next day would bring because the current situation of the galaxy was becoming very delicate: several political factions strived for power and the Supreme Chancellor did nothing useful to appease the conflict. There was a constant feeling of insecurity among the members of the Senate and it was difficult to know who they could trust and who would stab them in the back.

Sighing, she started taking some notes for the meeting with the Senator the next morning; she knew Uta would know if she didn't entirely understand the subject and Anixia feared she would question her competence. So a long sleepless night awaited her, even though she was already very tired: a day at the Senate could exhaust even the strongest will.


	2. A Small Galaxy

**In This Solemn Hour.**

Chapter II: A Small Galaxy.

The sun was already high in the sky when Anixia realized she had fallen asleep and she was late for work. Jumping out of her seat, she ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed. After that, she decided not to eat anything as it would only waste time she didn't have, so she grabbed her notes and ran out of the apartment and out of the building to catch the first transport she could find.

Sitting down on a vacant seat, she sighed and silently cursed herself for being late; punctuality had always been one of her qualities. Luckily, she had been able to finish her work the previous night and she hoped it would be enough to make Uta let her delay pass.

Anixia then realized someone had just sat down beside her and turned her head to look at the person.

-Ren!-she called, surprised. The young man turned to look at her as well and his blue eyes instantly grew wider.

-Anixia!-he replied, hugging her. –What are you doing here?

-I work here most of the time, remember? –Anixia said. –In fact, I'm late to meet your mo- … I mean, Senator Uta. –she continued hesitantly, realizing she had touched a delicate subject.

-Oh… –was Ren's reply as he was unsure of what to say next. After a somewhat uncomfortable pause, he spoke again: -I'd really like to talk to you again, to know what's been going on and everything.

-We should meet again some time, yes. –she agreed, smiling.

-Have lunch with me today. –Ren suggested.

-Today? –Anixia repeated. –I have a meeting now, like I told you. I don't know how long it will last.

-No problem; I'll wait. –Ren stated, clearly showing he wouldn't accept a negative answer.

-Alright. –she gave in. –Where do we meet?

-At Dex's Diner.

-Dex's Diner? Where is that? –Anixia asked as she couldn't remember if she had heard that name among the high-class restaurants she was used to.

-CoCo Town. –he answered, trying not to laugh. –Don't worry. You'll find it.

-Alright, then. CoCo Town it is. –the assistant said. Then, their transport stopped and she realized she had arrived at the Senate. –Well, this is my stop. I'll see you later. –she continued and didn't wait for an answer as she stood up and ran to the Senate's main entrance.

***

The blue light saber flew from Obi-Wan's hand and fell on the opposite side of the room. Anakin offered his hand to help his Master stand up from the floor and he couldn't help but laugh.

-Stop laughing, Anakin. –Obi-Wan ordered, trying to hide his embarrassment. –You caught me off guard.

-Yeah, this isn't your lucky day. –Anakin replied, making fun of his Master. Obi-Wan tried to give him an annoyed look, but couldn't help but laugh as well. Then, they heard the door open and saw Mace Windu enter the room.

After the usual bow to greet each other, Windu started to speak.

-Master Kenobi. –he said.-As we spoke earlier today, the Council has a mission for you and your apprentice. But, before you leave to accomplish it, you must know if distrust runs among the members of the Senate; every whisper in every corridor of politics can be an important clue.

-And what is our mission after that? –Obi-Wan asked, concerned. He often preferred to avoid political subjects.

-You must go to the planet Belasco and lead an investigation. –Master Windu answered calmly. –Once you arrive there, the queen will give you further details.

With nothing more to say, Mace Windu left the training facility in silence.

-Great, now we have to waste our time and search for ourselves. –Anakin complained. –Why doesn't he tell us where to go right away?

-What's the best place to know everything about anything? –Obi-Wan asked, ignoring his apprentice's cries.

-Aah… Dex's.

***

Anixia stepped into Uta S'orn's office, where the Senator was already waiting for her.

-You're late. –Uta stated, looking at her assistant from the other side of the desk.

-I'm sorry, Senator. –was all the young woman could say, knowing excuses would only waste their time.

-Well, now you're here. Let's work. –the Senator ordered after a moment of silence. She sat down on her chair and gestured for Anixia to do the same on the opposite side of the desk.

-Senator, I read all these reports from the Relief Fund and they seem inconsistent to me. –the assistant started as she put her notes on the desk. –Some requests are not very clear.

-I already suspected something was not right. –Uta stated, deep in thought. –I'll ask for a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor; he must have a reasonable explanation for this.

-With all due respect, Senator… Could the Chancellor have authorized these loans?–Anixia asked timidly, knowing her words were dangerous.

-Many people work with the Chancellor and many of them have full access to what he reads and signs. –Senator Uta answered with clear reproach in her voice.

- I'm sorry I even mentioned the possibility, Senator. –she said, even though she couldn't abandon the thought that Palpatine probably hadn't been kept in the dark when he signed the documents.

Two hours later, Anixia arrived in CoCo Town and was standing in front of Dex's Diner. It didn't look like a very clean place from the outside and she was almost sure the same happened on the inside. Sighing and shaking her head, she opened the door to enter the diner and then looked around trying to find a friendly face.

-Anixia! –she heard Ren's voice call and turned to her right to see him walking towards her. –I'm glad you could come.

-I said I would. –she reminded him as he led her to a table.

-We haven't seen each other in, what, two years? –Ren asked.

-Yes, since I graduated. –she answered and realized they had to face the subject Ren tried to avoid. -Since I started working for your mother.

-Right… -was all he said, looking through the window and not wanting to continue the conversation.

-Why did you disappear, Ren? –Anixia asked, clearly not letting go of the subject.

-You know why. –he answered, disturbed. –She didn't send me to the Jedi Temple when she could and now I have to live with constant premonitions I can't control. It's like having nightmares all the time.

-If you know you can't change that, then forgive her and move on, Ren. I know I can't even imagine what you go through every day, but you must find your own way to help yourself or it will drive you insane. –she advised. –Being close to your mother could help you.

-You don't know what you're talking about. –Ren replied with a strange shadow in his eyes. Even though she had just said otherwise, Anixia knew her friend would never free himself from his gift, which he considered a curse.

-You're right. I don't. –she agreed, knowing it was a lost cause. Then she realized her lunchtime was over, she had to return to the Senate and she hadn't eaten anything yet. –Ren, I hate to leave you like this, but I have to go. Please, stay in touch and don't disappear again. –she continued, standing up from her seat. He didn't answer. –Ren.

Knowing he wouldn't reply, Anixia sighed and walked away from the table and towards the exit. As she reached out her hand to open the door, someone opened it from the outside first, revealing two men. Two Jedi. They stepped aside to let exit the diner and she silently thanked them before walking away from the building.

***

Obi-Wan and Anakin entered Dex's Diner and the Jedi Master immediately spotted Ren S'orn sitting at one of the tables, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Even though he had given up a long time ago, Obi-Wan had tried to convince the Jedi Council to admit Ren at the Academy or, at least, give him some guidance so he could learn how to live with his power before it destroyed him. The Council had rejected all his suggestions; he was too old to be trained and that was their final word.

-Hello, Ren. –Obi-Wan greeted as he and Anakin approached the table and sat down.

-Oh, hi. –Ren replied as if waking up from his dream.

-I haven't seen you in a long time. –the Jedi Master stated.

-I had to go away for a while. –was his short reply.

-I see…

-Hey, Ren. Do you know anyone who can give us useful information from inside the Senate? –was Anakin's insensitive question. Ren looked at the young padawan, but he wasn't really seeing him and it took a while for him to answer.

-I'm not sure… You know that girl, the one that just left? –he asked, but none of them could really remember her face. –Her name is Anixia Nayade. She works… for my mother. She's very loyal to her, but maybe you can give it a try, I don't know.

-Thank you, Ren. –Obi-Wan said. The information wasn't very useful; a young woman could only be either an assistant or a handmaiden and neither of those positions offered much insight on the backstage of the Galactic Senate.

Ren didn't reply as he stood up, drowning in another one of his thoughts, and left Dex's Diner. Obi-Wan saw him through the window and shook his head; not everyone was prepared for the gift and the power of the Force.


End file.
